After trimming what had been a 22-point game at the half to 12 points late in the third quarter, St. Ambrose watched Olivet Nazarene score the first nine points of the final frame to pull away for a 93-74 win Wednesday night in Bourbonnais, Ill.

Trailing 55-33 at the break, the Bees outscored the up-tempo Tigers 26-17 in the third to claw back into the game.

It was a balanced effort in the third with Payton Calouette, Caitlyn Thole and Abby Wolter each scoring six points in the period to close the gap to 72-59.

But after shooting better than 57 percent from the floor and committing just five turnovers against the pressing Tigers in the third, the Bees got off to a slow start in the fourth.

SAU's first five possessions of the final frame consisted of two missed field goal attempts, a pair of turnovers and two missed free throws. That allowed Olivet Nazarene (11-5, 7-1 CCAC) to run off those nine straight points to regain control at 81-59.

Wolter ended the drought with a basket but ONU answered with a 3-pointer to push the lead to 23. The advantage grew to as many as 25 points with SAU unable to threaten down the stretch.

St. Ambrose (7-8, 4-3 CCAC) finished with a better field-goal percentage (45.2 percent to 43.0 percent) than Olivet Nazarene, but 27 turnovers, 17 of those coming in the first half, allowed the Tigers to attempt 17 more field goals than the Bees.

ONU also knocked down 15 threes compared to SAU's four 3-point makes.

Wolter played all 40 minutes and led St. Ambrose with 21 points, 15 rebounds and four steals. She also handed out four assists.

Thole chipped in with 13 points and six boards, while Olivia Harter (12 points) and Calouette (10) each scored in double figures.

Erin Jolin came off the bench to contribute eight points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. Isabella Hutchinson scored four points, Mary Gruber netted three, and Jayla Stirgus finished with three points, five rebounds and a team-best six assists.

The Bees will return home to host Holy Cross Saturday.